Pan-Fried, Boneless, Skinless Crispy Chicken Thighs

The Best Ever Boneless, Skinless Crispy Chicken Thighs

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are inexpensive, quick to cook, healthy and so much more delicious than chicken breast—we can’t understand why this cut of chicken isn’t more popular. Really, we should just be grateful that it flies under the radar, because that means it still so budget-friendly! If you’ve never cooked boneless, skinless chicken thighs, it’s time to hop on the bandwagon! Our easy, quick boneless chicken thigh recipe is one we’re sure you’ll make again and again.

How To Cook Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs:

Crispy chicken thighs can easily be achieved even if you’re using boneless, skinless chicken! The key is cooking the chicken thighs on the stove top, rather than in the oven (as you might with our Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs). Pan-fried chicken thighs cook really fast and need almost no prep—about 15 minutes, start-to-finish. Here’s best way to cook chicken thighs in a pan:

1. Pat your chicken thighs dry with a paper towel.
2. Heat your oil on high until it begins to smoke.
3. Add the chicken thighs and leave them alone! No turning, no futzing.
4. After five minutes, turn the chicken over and the heat down to low.
5. When their internal temp is at 170°F, remove your perfectly crispy chicken thighs from the pan—they’re done!

Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs: Safety First!

Before you do anything else, take a moment to use a paper towel to really thoroughly dry your chicken thighs. We can’t emphasize enough how important the drying step is to making pan-seared boneless chicken thighs. Drying the meat ensures minimal splatter—we can’t promise zero splatter, so do be careful and shoo the kids away from the stove—when you add them to the super hot oil.

How Long Do You Cook Chicken Thighs On The Stove?

Chicken thighs naturally have more fat than chicken breasts, so they’re less likely to dry out, even if you overcook them a bit. Yay! That said, just-done crispy chicken thighs are always more delicious than over-done. The initial five-minute pan-sear is what makes the chicken thigh crisp, so don’t mess with that. But, after you turn the chicken, you can begin to watch for signs of doneness. When the chicken juices run clear, and you get a reading of 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, pull that gorgeous crispy chicken out of the pan! It’s done.

Tools You’ll Need:

• A cast iron skillet.
• An instant-read thermometer.

Our Favorite Chicken Thigh Dinner Recipes

• This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Cabbage would be just as good with chicken thighs, and a little easier, too.
• Hands up if you love one-pan dinners! This Sheet Pan Olive Bar Chicken is an especially brilliant one, if we may say so.
• The zesty, bright flavors of this Cilantro-Lime Chicken Thigh Recipe are sure to perk up a mid-week family dinner.

Success?!

Snap a photo of your pan-fried boneless, skinless crispy chicken thighs, and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to so we can see it and celebrate it, and maybe even share it! Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!